Among Grizzlies

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Summary: This book is a travesty to grizzly bear stewardship
Review: This book shows the author up close & personal with wild amimals- so close that if he were in the lower 48 states, in a national park, he would be arrested. THis is not good stewardship! He calls Alaskan brown bears grixxly bears, but these are NOT the same bears as those in the Yellowstone & Glacier ecosystems. In all places but Alaska, when people get close to bears, bears become used to people and are eventually killed by bear managers. In fact, Treadwell's presence in Alaska has ben condemned by Alaskan authorities!

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Summary: Among Grizzlies: A Fantasy
Review: I recently stumbled across the title in a local used book store, where I plunked down $5.00 for it, thinking, 'What have I got to lose?" $5.00, that's what.

Undoubtedly, Among Grizzlies represents one of the worst writings I have ever encountered on the subject, and I have read quite a few. Mid-way through the book (somewhere between Treadwell "dozing" in a day bed and his charging a neurotic, killer griz), I decided to do the book proper justice by tossing it into the trash.

Not only are the supposedly "true" accounts of Treadwell's experiences with Alaskan grizzlies ridiculous, but they border on the absurd. In reading his series of adventures with Mr. Chocolate and other willy-nilly-silly-old-bears, my personal feeling is that years of drugs and booze have a taken an unfortunate toll on this young man's brain.

What troubles me the most (and I find many components of the book very troubling), is that Treadwell does much more harm than good by portraying grizzlies as some warm-n-cuddly little creatures who seek his company, his protection (gasp) and his friendship. Folks reading this foolishness might be apt to wander out in the wilderness somewhere in search of a 800-pound buddy...with dire consequences. And how he came by the rather impressive photographs baffles me as well, as I cannot imagine how anyone so totally inept at putting up a simple tent could be capable of operating sophisticated photographic equipment -- but who knows.

I would NOT recommend this book to any serious fan or student of grizzlies, nor even to someone just looking for a good piece of wildlife fiction. It won't be worth your while, even at five bucks.

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Summary: There are some things we can not prove , but only tell.
Review: After readfing "Among Grizzlies" by Timothy Treadwell I was a little mistrusting of the facts in the book, such as the antics of Timmy the Fox and the many touching encounters with the wild Brown Bears. This man is writing a book from his heart and because of this we can only hope it was factual. There are some things we can not prove, but only tell. Let's hope many people read this book and believe in the beauty of wild nature and the Great Grizzly Bear!

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Summary: Great photos. Lousy narration
Review: People buy books like this because we love to read about nature. I purchased this book specifically because of my families interest in bears so I thought it would make a good addition to our library. What a disappointment. After reading the first chapter I realized it is totally inappropriate for children. The authors past problems with drugs and alcohol are not necessary to the story no matter where he thinks he's coming from. This chapter alone would disqualify it from any childrens library where most well written nature books go. The way the author describes his singing and talking to the bears almost make it sound like a fairy tale, not a book from which the reader can learn about the bears. If it wasn't for the fact he is pictured with some bears I would have even doubted he was even there among them. The scientific information he does impart can be found in any encyclopedia on the subject. Nothing new here. Mr. Treadwell could have polished up the manuscript somewhat perhaps by having a professional writer in collabration with him as the writing is extremely poor. I gave up reading it after about 90 pages. Anything more would have been self torture.

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Summary: Intimate look at the great grizzlies
Review: Timothy Treadwell, the author of this intimate look at the great grizzlies of Alaska, makes no claims to taking a scientific approach to his study of grizzlies. He is a gentle and whimsical soul who just loves bears, and whose love has given meaning and direction to a life that was once purposeless. In his encounters with bears, he acts on instinct and simple love. The bears appear to understand this better than some readers and reviewers, and even seem to enjoy his humorous attempts to sing to them - or maybe they're just utterly perplexed but, in any event, he emerges unscathed from his close contacts with these mysterious and dangerous creatures. I read Among Grizzlies with unflagging interest in the personalities and quirks of the individual bears, and increasing concern at the many dangers that threaten them, from loss of habitat to that repulsive human predilection for murder in all its forms. I admire the author's bravery, gentleness and loving heart. Grizzlies could not have a truer friend and advocate than Timothy Treadwell.

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Summary: A simple way of life before humans, the grizzlie.
Review: Is Timothy Treadwell a Grizzly? This is the feeling I get when reading his book. I don't think that Tim has a death wish but rather a desire to find someone to relate to.

Tim states many times in his book that being with the grizzlies is safer, for him, than being around humans - and for Tim this is true. The book is a solid account of life with Grizzlies and perhaphs the closest we will see without a grizzlie telling the story. If not for the peace Tim found with the bears Tim would never have made it this far in life.

While reading the countless encounters Tim faces with the most lovable, frighting, and fierce creaters on earth the reader is always told of the fear that he was feeling. The option for Tim though was clearly never to run from them, for that would certainly result in death. Every encounter told the reader gets the feeling is a unique experience to Tim. Never do we get the feeling that Tim is ready to die mentaly, but his physical body seems like it is always ready. That mad charging bear his advocate and love - Cubcake. A hard charging mindless bear who seems to react without ever thinking thus showing us that this is a very unusual reaction for grizzlies as most of the grizzlies always think before a charge. As the summers go by Tim becomes more careful on his trips by bringing mace to fight off Cupcake showing us that Tim has found a reason to stay with us and in turn trys to teach this mad charging bear a lesson. Perhaps Tim favors this bear because it reminds him of his on life, which has clearly always been on the edge.

The reader will come away from this book with a experience, not just some new facts about grizzlies. This is what sets this book apart. When Tim takes us on his first walk through "the maze," bear paths encaved by "alders," I feel like I am right there with him waiting for this large mass to be right in front of me. Fearing for his life the reader fears with him. Seeing the joy as these 1000lb creaters slide down hills on there butts like children at play, the reader shares with him, and has he is pursued by Demon so are we.

This is the closest I want to get to a pack of wild grizzlies. Thanks Tim. ([e-mail])

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Summary: "God Protects Drunks and Fools"
Review:

On the surface, Timothy Treadwell's book "Among Grizzlies" is a book about one of my favorite subjects: bears. This is why I read the book from start to finish. But it isn't long after one begins the book before one realizes that just beneath the surface this is actually a book about a man with a death wish and all the talk about bears (which can make for an adequate "bear read", mind you) is really a series of descriptions of this sad individual's numerous attempts to force a horrible death upon himself.

Treadwell begins his book by describing his being shot at by drug dealers and his having taken an overdose of illegal narcotics that only CPR and an Emergency Room could bring him back from. From the beginning to the end of the book he talks about his addiction to and abuse of alcohol. When he reaches the point of the book at which he sets out to live among Alaska's wild Grizzly Bears and describes the many times that he was charged by irate Grizzlies for having come within ridiculously close proximity to these bears in his attempts to kiss them on the nose, etc, it is clear that his interest in bears is simply a continuation of a long progression of suicide attempts disguised as "experimentation". At the end of the book he tells us that of all the bears he came to know during his stays in the Alaskan wilderness, the one he "loved the most" was the one bear that had tried most seriously to kill him.

This book is by no means scientific. In fact, I have never read a book written by a person who had spent so much time in the wilderness only to come away from it with so little understanding of it. At times Treadwell admits to being a very incapable wilderness explorer and he tells his readers of such instances as the first time night fell upon him while he was alone in the wilderness. In that instance his problem was that once it had become dark he realized that he had never so much as unrolled the tent he had brought to live in and so he would be totally unable to set it up in the darkness.

But in another bizarre description of his being totally surrounded by nature's bounty, watching huge Grizzly Bears procuring so many clams that they were fattening for winter as he watched, Treadwell worries that he will starve to death because he had eaten his last Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich and finished off his last can of Tuna Fish and the plane that was scheduled to bring him more food had not arrived on the anticipated day! Unfortunately, he wasn't kidding.

This would be a harmless, albeit a bit ridiculous, book were it not for the fact that Treadwell adopts a superior, "Holier Than Thou" attitude toward hunters and other wilderness explorers. He talks about legal hunters and poachers as if they were one and the same and he blames licenced sportsmen for the decline of America's Grizzly population. This is untrue. He also blames sight seers in the Alaskan wilderness for driving bears to inadequate habitats and refers to these tourists as "these people", completely ignoring the fact that he is not only one of "these people" but also by far the most intrusive among them.

Bears are good. People are bad. Treadwell is good because Treadwell is a bear. This is Treadwell's strange, immature philosophy.

In his epilogue Treadwell reminds his readers that he never intended his book to have the effect upon others that Hemingway's description of the running of the bulls had.

I wouldn't worry about that, Tim.

I guess it's fairly obvious that as much as I enjoy reading about bears, I had an adverse reaction to the thought of Timothy Treadwell roaming among them and fancying himself one of them. There is a great deal of bear discussion in this book and many of his descriptions of bear behavior and the reaction of bears to Treadwell's behavior are not devoid of value for bear enthusiasts. For that, one might want to read this book. I might even recommend it.

My hope is that when Treadwell finally accomplishes his real goal, the bears he lives among will not acquire a taste for human flesh as a result of his having forced the meal upon them.

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Summary: An unbelievable story
Review: Timothy shows the complex social system, personalites, and smarts that grizzlies have. I personally think he was crazy to even attempt this, but he pulled it off, and lived to tell his story, so all the more power to him. The book also shows that man (as usual) is being stupid and shows how grizzlies could *EASILY* become extinct in a few years. A very enjoyable, and educational read. I only wish the pictures were in color, but I guess they wanted to keep costs down. Thank you, Timothy for a very well-told story

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Summary: It's proven . . human's are the worst animal on earth.
Review: . . . this book is a landmark in the battle of getting humans to realize that they are by far the worst animal on earth . . .when Flip Nicklin swam with wild Killer Whales we realized that they are not so bad . . and now someone has had the guts to live with grizzlies and lived to tell about it. It made me appreciate the guts it takes my cats to live with me, a much bigger and more powerful animal and I believe that this book will spark much controversy in the scientific and governmental communities who have always told us how to interact with animals. I think Timmothy Treadwell's book took more guts than the fact of his living in the wild with bears in some respects and I hope for his sake that we never make the bear a warm fuzzy because of it but rather people reevaluate our relationships with all animals

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Summary: Doctor Dolittle Meets Dian Fossey
Review: An admitted alcoholic and drug addict with a life-long affinity for grizzly bears, Treadwell decides to live among them, or to be more precise, to try to become one. Yep. He packs his bags for Alaska each summer and communes with his friends the grizzlies. We meet them: Booble, Hefty, Cupcake, Beacon and, his favorite, Mr. Chocolate, to name a few. He can talk to them, undertstand their behavior by analysizing their droppings (which smell like fresh-cut grass, he says), and keep them from attacking by singing songs.